SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon has been forced to congratulate Donald Trump on his historic election win after previously launching a scathing attack on the President elect.

Ms Sturgeon, 46, who along with former First Minister Alex Salmond have been embroiled in a feud with Mr Trump over his Scottish golf course, appeared to swallow her words after she previously condemned US voters who supported him.

Ms Sturgeon has repeatedly hit out at Mr Trump and did not hold back in her fury branding his views as "misogyny at its worst" just three weeks ago.

She broke with diplomatic protocols by telling voters in the US that she wanted them to vote for Hillary Clinton.

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I hope Donald Trump doesn’t become president of the United States and I expect the people of the United States will have the good sense not to elect him

Nicola Sturgeon

However this morning Ms Sturgeon was forced to climb down on her outspoken views.

She issued a lengthy statement which said: "While this is not the outcome I hoped for, it is the verdict of the American people and we must respect it. I congratulate president-elect Trump on winning the election.

"We value our relationship with the United States and its people. The ties that bind Scotland and the US - of family, culture and business - are deep and longstanding and they will always endure.

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"It is normal in any election for those on the losing side to be feel disappointment, but today, many in America and across the world, will also feel a real sense of anxiety.

"I hope the president-elect will take the opportunity to reach out to those who felt marginalised by his campaign and make clear - in deeds as well as words - that he will be a president for everyone in modern, multicultural America.

"Today must also be a moment for those who share progressive values - all of us who believe in tolerance and diversity - to speak up loudly and clearly for the values we hold dear."

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Ms Sturgeon and Mr Salmond had a plan for Scotland's future but it didn't involve Trump

Mr Trump's mother was born in Scotland and he had a close affinity with the country until his run-in with the SNP over a planning application.

The President elect, Mr Salmond as well as Ms Sturgeon have no love lost meaning Scotland's ‘special relationship’ with the USA could now be damaged.

Mr Trump said in a statement: "Megrahi and others were laughing out loud at what a stupid man Alex Salmond is.

"Why would a terrorist that blew up an airliner with so many lives lost be released under any circumstances? Alex Salmond is an embarrassment to Scotland."

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It was a friendship that turned to feud with Trump branding Salmond an embarrassment

Now it is unlikely the US will change its view on Scotland remaining in the United Kingdom given the clear interests it has especially in relation to defence.

Diplomats and the White House have repeatedly remained steadfast their support of the United Kingdom and has released at least three statements on why Scotland should not be independent.

After a video of Mr Trump emerged where he referenced sexually assaulting women, Ms Sturgeon said: “I'm horrified not just at the comments he has made... but also the dismissal of that kind of language and those kind of attitudes as just locker room banter.

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“That is really misogyny at its worst and I think we have all got to stand up against that.

“I hope Donald Trump doesn’t become president of the United States and I expect the people of the United States will have the good sense not to elect him.

“It’s not usually politic for the leader of one government to comment on the election in another country but I’m not sure this is normal circumstances.

“This is America’s election, it’s up to the people of America to choose but it has implications for the rest of the world.”

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Meanwhile Alex Salmond spoke in an interview earlier today and appeared to have some advice for Mr Trump despite their fall out.

He said he was expecting a phone call from the President-elect insisting: "I am deeply disappointed, although I suspect my disappointment is as of nothing to the religious minorities, racial minorities, the people that Donald Trump demeaned during the election campaign of what is now a deeply divided society in America.

"I just have to hope that the presidency changes a man, I think all of us better hang on to that hope."

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However Mr Salmond also appeared to forget the reason why he resigned from office himself after he divided Scotland with his independence campaign which the SNP is refusing to give up on.

He added: "Politicians by and large in democracies don't mobilise racial or religious antagonism to get elected but if he is going to reach out to people then I will be expecting a phone call then, his acceptance speech, his victory speech was magnanimous but I am not surprised by that.

"The difficulty with Donald Trump is not when he is winning and getting his own way, he is as nice as nine pence in these situations, the difficulty with Donald Trump is what happens when he comes up against opposition and road blocks and the difficulty with being president of the United States is you are not all powerful he will come up against road blocks and the test of character is going to be when that happens will he act in the way that he has done recently or does indeed the presidency change a man."

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Alex Salmond told Nicola Sturgeon to respect democracy

And bizarrely he had some advice for Nicola Sturgeon insisting she must "respect" Trump ignoring the fact that Ms Sturgeon has repeatedly refused to respect the will of the people in her own country.

He added: "She is first minister of Scotland and if you are elected in a democracy you have to respect the office whatever misgivings you have about the character of the person involved and of course Scotland will want to work with the United States of America that goes without saying but you should also tell it as it is, you should say what you think, we are not going to do ourselves any favours by cowering in a corner."